13th CMDR COE Steering Committee (SC) Meeting
Date: (22-10-2025)
The CMDR COE Steering Committee held its 13th meeting. This strategic governing body is responsible for the approval and management of the Centre's Programme of Work and the shared budget.
The Chairperson of the SC, Lieutenant General Mihail Popov, Bulgarian Deputy Chief of Defence, welcomed the five representatives on the Committee: one from Bulgaria as the Framework Nation, and four from the respective Sponsoring Nations – Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The meeting was also attended by observers from the Embassies of Finland and Japan. Lieutenant General Mihail Popov affirmed that all SC members and CMDR COE staff are dedicated and committed to the further development of the Centre.
The Committee acknowledged the reported activities and the Quality Assurance report for 2025, discussed the Financial Budget, and approved the Programme of Work for next year, based on NATO’s and Sponsoring Nations’ requests for support, as well as CMDR COE operational development requirements.
It was reported that the Centre’s activities and assigned tasks have been successfully completed, and the Centre continues to expand its range of offerings. The courses conducted in the past 12 months attracted considerable attention from experts and institutional representatives within the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Community of Interest, affirming the Centre’s capacity to address both current and emerging global security challenges.
It is also noteworthy that this year the CMDR COE reached another milestone by adding an appointment as Department Head for the Information and Knowledge Management discipline, having upgraded the appointment as Department Head for the Business Continuity Management discipline in 2023.
In accordance with its strategic objectives, the Centre maintains a high level of ambition and has already demonstrated its readiness to enhance NATO’s and Partners’ ability to anticipate, prepare for, prevent, and respond to crises and disasters.
The discussions during the SC meeting were productive and valuable to the shared mission and ongoing development of the CMDR COE, which stands ready and competent to continue advancing its work in support of NATO’s transformation in the domain of crisis management and disaster response.
The hard work, professionalism, and dedication of all CMDR COE staff were highly appreciated by the SC members, as their contribution ensures the quality of products provided by the CMDR COE.
News
6th CMDR COE Academic Advisory Board (AAB) MeetingIt has been a busy week at the CMDR COE premises. The 6th CMDR COE Academic Advisory Board (AAB) Meeting was held yesterday, 20 October 2025.
The Academic Advisory Board (AAB) is an independent body that assists the CMDR COE in managing the scientific research and educational activities of the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence.
CMDR COE contributed to SEESIM 25 Final Coordination Conference CMDR COE remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation and advancing readiness in crisis management and disaster response.
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Uncrewed Aerial Systems Course for OperatorsThe Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) Course for operators was held at the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence from 30 September to 3 October 2025. It brought together 23 students from diverse backgrounds in a dynamic in-person setting.
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Another success for the CMDR COE: another brilliant intern’s programme completedThe CMDR COE is proud to announce that Ms Asya Arsova has successfully completed the first phase of her Internship Programme. She presented her research paper on “Analysing Dynamics and Impacts of Contemporary People Mass Movements: A Multidisciplinary Exploration”, which addresses one of the most relevant and rapidly evolving fields in today’s global security landscape.
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Joint Operations Planning Introduction CourseThe Joint Operations Planning Introduction Course took place at the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) from 22 to 26 September 2025, bringing together 16 participants from five NATO and partner nations in a dynamic, in-person setting.
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First Module UAS Course in coordination with Engineer Research and Development Centre (ERDC), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)From 23 to 26 September 2025 the CMDR COE hosted a course designed to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical expertise in the deployment of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) for data-driven decision-making across operational, civilian, and emergency contexts.
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Visit of the Japanese DelegationThe Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence welcomed the Japan’s Parliamentary Vice- Minister of Defense, Mr. Yozo Kaneko.
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Layered Resilience Concept Validation EventThe CMDR COE hosted a successful Layered Resilience Concept (LRC) Validation event in Sofia, Bulgaria on 14-19 September 2025.
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CMDR COE participation to the Exercise "BULGARIA 2025"The 20th NATO EADRCC Emergency Management Exercise “BULGARIA 2025” (“the Exercise”) took place in Montana, Bulgaria from 7 to 12 September 2025, accompanied by a facilitated strategic discussion in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 09 September 2025.
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Farewell Ceremony and Appreciation of Services for Departing CMDR COE StaffOn 18 August 2025, a farewell ceremony was held for the officers who have departed from our CMDR COE, honoring their contributions and dedication throughout their mandate.
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Ammon Sentinel 2025 Exercise Strengthens Jordan’s Crisis Management CapabilitiesThe landmark exercise marks a significant step in strengthening Jordan’s national crisis management capabilities.
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Disaster Relief in CSDP Context CourseFrom 16th till 18th of July in Bucharest was conducted a course dedicated to Disaster Relief in CSDP Context.
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Successful completion of the University education of CMDR COE internsCMDR COE is proud to announce that its interns Asya ARSOVA and Katya POPOVA successfully completed their University education.
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Computer-Assisted Exercises and Wargaming Training Successfully Conducted in SofiaThe Course, held from 7 to 11 July 2025, concluded successfully, bringing together participants from the CMDR COE, the Bulgarian National Military Training Centre “Charalitsa”, and representatives from the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence.
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Enhancing Crisis Management Capabilities in JordanA Collaborative Initiative Focused on Modernizing Crisis Response through M&S, C2, and AI Integration.
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Completed Internship ProgrammeAn intern project on “Social Capacity in Disaster Respond: Enhancing Resilience by Education and Training”
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Awarded unconditional re-accreditation for Quality AssuranceCMDR COE is proud with the received and focused on further challenges
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Building Integrity in Crisis Management and Disaster Response CourseOn the 10th June 2025 , 20 students from 4 different nations started the 4-day long Building Integrity in Crisis Management and Disaster Response Course.
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First Annual Discipline Conference for the Business Continuity Management DisciplineCMDR COE serves as the Department Head for the NATO BCM discipline.
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The 13th Annual conference of CMDR COEPlacing the focus on the arising security challenges
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Successful NATO Crisis Management Training Held in KuwaitThe Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE), in cooperation with NATO and the NATO- Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Regional Centre, successfully delivered a Mobile Training in Kuwait from 25 to 29 May 2025.
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Romanian Day of National Heroes / Ascension DayCMDR COR Participation to the solemn ceremony organized by the Romanian Embassy in Bulgaria.
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CMDR COE advances strategic and operational expertise in the integration of Gender PerspectiveGender Focal Point Course at CMDR COE
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20th NATO EADRCC Emergency Management Exercise The Final Planning Conference (FPC) for the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) Emergency Management Exercise "BULGARIA 2025" took place from 20 May to 22 May 2025.
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CMDR COE Plaque to Colonel Prof. Dr. Andrey Galev, MDRespect on the occassion of the 75th Anniversary of the fondation of the Scientific Applied Center for Military Epidemiology and Hygiene (NPCEH).
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CMDR COE Represented in OSAKA EXPO 2025CMDR COE Intern Mr. Can Uyar participated in an Extensive Disaster Risk Reduction Education Program and OSAKA EXPO 2025 BOSAI Summit
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Completed Crisis Management in a Multilateral Framework courseFrom 13th to 16th of May in CMDRCOE was conducted Crisis Management in a Multilateral Framework course
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Successful Completion of the Exercise Planning, Modelling, Simulation, and C2 Systems CourseMain Planning Conference of AMMON SENTINEL 2025 exercise
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